Detent means



Oct. 19, 1948. H. R.l GREENLIEE DET ENT MEANS Original Filed May l5, 1944 nu. BN l www @n S S 3 n DI!) S m... G 3K Nw 3 www .Sys ./NU wh Patented` Oct. 19., 1948 DETENTMEAN S.

Harry R.. GreenleeJndianapolis, Ind., assigner to The Studebaker Corporation,v SouthBendJnd., a corporation ofDelaware` Original application 1944', Serial No. 535,587. Divided and thisk application May 2, 1946, Serial'No. 666,664

14 Claims.

My present invention relates4 to an. improvei* ment in detent means, and more particularly to detent means having. use with. shifting. mechanisms for transmissions.

The. present application is a division of my earlier application Serial No. 535,587, filed May 15, 1944.

Broadly,.the present invention may be incorporated in any type of shift mechanism or thelike in which it is desired to provide step by step selective positioning of a rod or other member. So

far as I am aware most .prio-r forms of detent means. have usually taken the form of a spring loaded ballad'apted to have resilient engagement with a. grooved slide rod. In the. known spring loaded ball type of detents a uniform pressure cannot be impressed on the rod since the spring is fixed in one position relative thereto and acts in but. one direction with respect to. the rod. This disadvantage has been sought to be overcome by arranging a plurality of spring loadedr ball detents. in radial spaced, relation about the shaft or the rod. However, this arrangement. is un.- satisfactory from the .standpoint of' cost,.and, further, does. not satisfactorily solve the. problem in thatv localized. wear appears at the grooves of the shaft with which the balls, areadapted. to engage. This localization at the. point of engagement of a. ball lof a detent means with the shaft causes crystallization of the ball. After continued use. the point or points of engagement of the. ball or balls with .the shaft causes wear of the elementsv interfering with the .proper snap positioning of. a shaft or rod which is generally desirable. in suchv organization. of. parts.v vIt has further been proposed inthe. prior -artto provide a detent means comprising an annular coiled spring adapted to have selective engagement with one ofa plurality of.. grooves of.V a shift-rod. or member. This form. of..detent overcomes many ofthe aforementioned undesirableaspects of the ballA form of detentmeans. However, so. far as vI am aware-the latter forms of detentsofthe prior art. are not capable of providing for controlling theY amount of force. 'other .than the. inherent spring. force ofthe coil or garter. spring to. effect, for example, locking of thel shiftrod, or member in a selected position or to. require differentv degilees of force in shifting of. the shift rodior member to diiferent selected positions thereof.

It' is an object of 'my inventionto provide a detentmeans for. shifting mechanism or. the like which comprises an annular coil or garter spring adapted to have selective .engagementy with one of a plurality of, substantially V'.shaped; grooves in a shift rod or member, and in which means is provided. for' selectively controlling the amount of force adapted to be transmitted through the annular coil spring to the shift rod. d

A further object of my invention is to provide a detent means comprising an annular coil spring adapted to be disposed about a shift rod, and of a normal diameter to extend into a groove in the rod for substantially equal and uniform cooperation with opposite sidesV of the groove with the spring being mounted to permit radial expansion thereof upon axial shifting, movement of the rod, and means associated with theA annular coiled spring. for forcing the same into seating engagement with a groove of the rod in excess of the amount of force inherent in the spring.

A further object of my invention is to provide a detent means as last aforesaid in which diaphragm means is adapted to be associated with an annular coil spring for receiving uid under pressure for urging the annular coil spring into seating engagement with a groove of the rod to prevent shifting of the latter;

Another object of my'invention is to provide a detent means comprising an annular coiled spring disposed about an axially shift'able rod and hav.-

`ing telescopic ends for facilitating expansion and contraction ofthe spring in shifting of the rod.

Another object ofY myinvention is to provide a detent means in which an annular coil spring is adapted to be disposed about an axially shiftablerod provided with an innerp'eriphery ofsubstantiallyl V-shape having seating engagement yin substantially correspondingly V-shaped ygrooves inthe shift rod.

A still further object of my invention is to provide various forms' of annular coiled springs in combination withvarious forms of exible diaphragm means for exerting pressure through the springs; in an amount in excess of. the inherent force. of the. springs and. otherv forms in4 which thesprng exerts substantially no force but serves to: transmit force. expendedA by fluidi pressure in the. diaphra-grnmeans.

Another .object of my invention isto. adapt the detentlmeans to shift mechanismof a transmission in. which the shift, rodis shifted axially. by fluid pressure,.and tor a mechanism which is operable. for the selectionof. different gear ratios or different drives of ahydraulically actuated. transmissiorrr The aboveand other objects and advantages of vmy inventionwill appear from. the detaildescription.

. .New inordento acquainty those skilledin. the

art with the manner of utilizing and constructing devices in accordance with my invention, I shallI describe in the accompanying drawings certain preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a Vertical sectional view through one form of shift mechanism embodying a detent means constructed in accordance with my present invention with the shift rod with which the detent means is associated being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on line 2--2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a detail partial side elevational view of a modified form of spring means for the detent means of my present invention; and

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of still another form which the detent means of my present invention may take. v

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 I have shown a shift rod housing comprising a pair of housing members 59 and 5| provided with bores 52 and 53; respectively, and having annular flanges at 54 and 55 into which a plurality of bolts 56 extend securing the member together with the bores 52 and 53 disposed co-axially of and opening into each other. A shift rod or member 5'! 4 providing for the selection of a desired gear ratio of, for example, a hydraulically actuated transmission.

When the bellows means 60 is devoid of fluid under pressure the annular coil spring 59 provides for positive positioning of the valve member 5! in aligning certain of the annular grooves 66 with the several diametrically opposed pairs of ports or ducts 61. However, upon admission of iluid under pressure through the ducts 53 of the part 5U to the bellows S0 the latter is adapted to exert pressure on the garter spring 59 to increase the force necessary to cause sliding movement of the shift rod 5'! axially of the bores 52 and 53. The force expended by the flexible bellows L60 on the garter spring will be uniform since the portion 6I thereof is an annular configurais disposed within the bores 52 and 53 for sliding movement axially of the common axis of the bores. The flanges at 54 and 55 are recessed to receive an annular coiled spring or garter spring 59, and a iiexible bellows means 60. The bellows means 60 comprises a .bellows portion 6| from which a pair oi. annular flange elements 62 extend radially, with a ring 58 disposed between .the pair of annular flange elements 62. The iiange elements E2 and the ringr 53 as shown are adapted to be secured between the anges 54 and 55 of the housing members 59 and 5I. The flange 54 oi' member 50 is provided with a duct 63 the inner end of which is .in registry with an opening 62a, formed in the adjacent flange 62 of the bellows 50, and the ring 58 is provided with a slot 58a lextending from its inner edge and communicating with the interior of bellows 60 and through opening 62a, with the duct 63. This construction provides a means for supplying fluid under 'pressure to the bellows for purposes to be exfluid under pressure adjacent opposite ends of the shift rod 5'! to slide the same axially within the bores 52 and 53. Admission of fluid under pressure through the duct B9 of the part 50 is adapted to cause movement to the right of the shift rod 5'! as viewed in Figure 1, and admission of fluid through the duct 10 of the part 5I is adapted to cause movement of the shift rod 5'! to the left as viewed in this ligure. Sliding movement of the rod 5'! is adapted to align certain of the annular grooves `955 of the rod 5'! with certain of the opposed pairs of ducts 6'! of the part 5l The Shift rod. 5'! adiaeent its other tion and engages the entire outer periphery of the garter spring.

Admission of iiuid through the ducts 69, i9 and 63 may be suitably controlled by the appropriate valve mechanism to vary the force imposed on the shift rod 5'! in diierent selected positions, by means of the garterV spring and the flexible bellows and for causing delayed action of the shift rod in shifting from one position to another which under certain circumstances may be highly desirable as, for example, in controlling the actuation of an automotive transmission.

It will also be understood that under certain circumstances the bellows 6D may be charged with fluid under pressure sufficient in an amount to prevent shifting of the shift rod 5'! by admission of fluid in either of the end ducts 69 and 10 of the housing parts 5D and 5l, respectively, to provide a denite lock-up, for example, in an automotive transmission. Such lock-up would be desirable, for example, if an attempt should be made by the operator of a vehicle to shift to reverse while the automotive vehicle is moving in a forward direction.

In Figure 3 I have shown a modified form of annular coil spring 59a which may be substituted for the spring 59 of Figure 2 in the arrangement of parts as shown in the latter iigure. The spring 59a has. an end portion 59h thereof ofv different diameter than the body of the spring with the end portion v59!) being shown as formed of convolutions of less diameter and of diierent pitch than the convolutions of the remainder of the spring. The reduced end portion 59h is thus adapted to be inserted in the other end portion of the spring 59a, as shown, in telescoping relation therewith, and the convolutions of end portion 5917 due to thediierent pitch thereof will slide within the other end portion of the spring without vcatching therein or interlocking therewith. Itwill be seen that spring 59a may be expanded radially without being placed under tension by passage of element 65 therethrough in the shifting of the rod or plunger 51. Accordingly, the locking effect of spring 59a is controlled solely by the pressure exerted thereon by the bellows 60, which may be desirable in certain cases as giving a more positive and delicate c'ontrol than can be had if a spring of considerable strength and tensicned by the movement of element 65 therethrough be used. Inother respects, spring 59a functions in the same manner of spring 59 of Figure 1 and itis believed a further detail description thereof is not required for full understanding of this embodiment of my invention.l

The modification shown in Figure 4 embodies a spring 59o shaped to provide an inner nose portion 59d of V-shap'e substantially conforming to sierras@ thecros's-sectionai contour of'V the groovesftl The springv 59o maybeunifrmin cross-section with itsend' portions interlocked, inf-Whichcase it is tensioned b-y' passage of element' 55 there'- through in substtmtiallyl the-"same manner as spring 59 of'Fi'gure 1 tl'ioug-hy it will not roll lili'ev the latter spring in: shifting from one'g-ioove-to the other. l

Since the nose portion 59d-off spring Eel extends well down intoV groove B and-has relatively-large areaof contact with the sidewalls of the groove this spring exerts a materially greater" locking eiTect than spring 59 of Figure 1. Accordingly; less-pressure is required/in thebellows toob'tain the desiredA lockingA eiect-when using spring 59e of Figure 4- than is f requiredv Whenv tliespringAv 59 'of' Figure 1 is used. Instead ofv having the' end portions of spring 59o interlocked one endporti'on thereof may be off differentv diameter 'than the other so as-to be in'telescoping relationftherewith. rlihis may be accomplished by forming the convolutions at one endportion of less diameter' and different pitch than those at the other endzpo'rtion insubstantially the samemanner as explained above with respect to spring 59d` of' Figure 3L If the end portions oispring 59C be telescopedf'fo'r relative sliding movementA this spring will not be tensioned by the passage of' shift member'il therethrough, and itWill then function in substantially the same manner as spring 59a of Figul'e 3 except that-i spring 59c1will not have any rolling action and due toits shape will exert a greater locking eiect as described above. This increased locking effect is advantageous in that it renders possible a positive and delicate control while requiring less pressur-einthe bellowsy 60 to obtain the desired lockingV eiectthan isrequired preferred embodiments of= my invention` it'will be understood that various changes and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A shift mechanism comprising a housing having a bore therein and an annular recess opening into said bore, a shift rod mounted for sliding movement in the bore of said housing, said rod having an annular groove and an annular coil spring disposed about'said rod and confined in the recess of said housing against movement axially of said rod, said annular coil spring being of a diameter to extend normally into a groove of said rod to 'prevent normally sliding movement of the latter, and diaphragm means in the recess of said housing for applying force to said annular coil spring.

2. A shifting mechanism comprising a housing having al bore therein and an annular recess opening into said bore, a shift rod mounted for sliding movement in the bore of said housing, said rod having an annular groove and an annular coil spring disposed about said rod and conned in the recess of said housing against movement axially of said rod, said annular coil spring being of a diameter to extend normally into a groove of saidrod to prevent normally sliding movement of the latter, and 4a deformable substantially annular diaphragm means in the recess of said housing for engaging the outer periphery ofsaid annular coil spring, said diaphragm means being adapted to receive fluid under pressure for urging said annular coil spring into engagement with said rod.

3. A shift mechanismomprising a housing 6? liaving'ia boretl'ie'r'einfandl an# annular recess opening int@ said bore; ashift rodiz mounted fory slidingmovementvin" the bore or-saidifhousing, saidirodhaving-an annular groove, and anannnla'r coil springk disposed about'fsaid rod. coniiedf inf said recessr against axial. movement and normally exter-i'd'ingf into one" off said grooves effectivef'to hold said' rodi against sliding: move'- ment, thel end:v portions or said springbeing, telescoped 'one within the other for relativeslidingv movement Whereby"`said springmay be expanded radially Withoutbeing placed-under appreciable tenslomand meansfor applying inward' pressure to-saidlspriirg-- 4Ly shifting -mechanismi'comprising a houszing having ai bore therein and. an. annular' recess opening into said bore, a` shiftv ro'dt mounted for sliding' Vmovement. inthe bore of saidlhousing, said rod: having a portion provided with a pair` of spaced annular-V-shaped grooves forming therebetween asubstantiallyV-shaped ridge, and' a radlally'expansible annular coil'. springv disposed about said rod conned'in said recess. against axial movement and; having f an inner' V-'shaped portion substantially'conforming to the cross-sectionnof-'said' groovesand` normally extending' into one.v thereof eiective to hold` said rod against slidihgmoveme'nai 5. A shiftingv mechanism coinprisingra` housing having' av bore therein and an. .annular recess opening intosaidr bore; a@ sl'iift'rodfy mounted yfor sliding-movement.in the'bo're of said housing', said rodi havingal portion pirovid'ed'vvith` a pair of spaced annular V-'shaped' grooves' forming therebetweenA alsub'stantiall'yf V-shaped ridge, a radially exp'ansible annular coil Vspring. disposedl about said rodi` andi connedin` s'aid .recessl against-axial movement, and meansffor applying'inward pressurefto-'saidspringi- I 1 5.6i Detent means ofv theiicharacter described comprising amember having a-pluralty oiv annular.:gro'oves,an annu-lar coiled. spring-V disposed about said member and being adapted to fit selectively in said grooves, and exible diaphragm means surrounding said spring adapted to receive uid under pressure for forcing said spring into seating engagement in said grooves.

7. Detent means of the character described comprising, a housing, a member mounted for sliding movement in said housing and having a plurality of lannular grooves, an annular coil spring supported in said housing against sliding movement with said member and being adapted to be disposed selectively in said grooves for yieldingly restraining sliding movement of said member, and lmeans associated with said spring for forcing the same into seating engagement in said grooves in excess of the amount Vof force inherent in said spring.

8. Detent means of the character described comprising, a housing, ra member mounted for sliding movement in said housing and having a plurality of annular grooves, an annular coil spring supported in said housing against sliding movement with said member and being adapted to be disposed selectively in said grooves for yieldingly restraining sliding movement of said member, and flexible diaphragm means surrounding said spring adapted to receive uid under pressure for exerting force radially inwardly of said spring for seating the same in said grooves with a force in excess of the force inherent in said spring.

9. Detent means of the character described comprising, a housing, a member mounted for sliding movement in said housing and having a plurality of annular grooves, an annular coil spring supported in said housing against sliding mpvement with said member and arranged with its opposite ends in telescopic relation and being adapted to be disposed selectively in said grooves, and means associated with' said spring for forcing the same inwardly of said grooves for seating said spring therein to restrain movement of said member.

10. Detent means of the character described comprising, a housing, a member mounted for sliding movement in said housing and having a plurality of annular grooves, an annular coil spring supported in said housing -against sliding movement with said member and arranged with its opposite ends in telescopic relation and being adapted to be disposed selectively in said grooves, and flexible diaphragm means surrounding said spring adapted to receive fluid under pressure for forcing the same inwardly of said grooves in seating relation therewith to yieldingly restrain movement of said member.

11. Detent means of the character described comprising, a housing, a member mounted for sliding movement in said housing and having a substantially annular V-shaped groove, and an annular coil spring supported in said housing against sliding movement with said member and having its inner periphery of substantially V-shape for fitting into said V-shaped groove for yieldingly restraining movement of said member.

12.` Detent means of the character described comprising a member having a substantially annular V-shaped groove, an annular coil spring disposed about said member and having its inner periphery of substantially V-shape for tting into said V-shaped groove for yieldingly restraining movement of said member, and means associated with said spring for forcing the same into seating engagement in said groove with' a force in excess of the amount of force inh'erent in said spring.

13. Detent means of the character described comprising a member having a substantially annular V-shaped groove, an annular coil spring disposed about said member and having its inner periphery of substantially V-shape for iitting into said V-shaped groove for yieldingly restraining movement of said member, and exible diaphragm means surrounding the outer periphery of said spring adapted to receive iiuid under pressure for exerting force radially inwardly of said spring for seating the same in said groove with a force in excess of the force inherent in said spring.

y 14. Detent means of the character described comprising, a housing, a member mounted for sliding movement in said housing and having a substantially annular V-shaped groove, an annular coil spring supported in said housing against sliding movement with said' member having its inner periphery of substantially V-shape form for fitting in said groove and arranged with its opposite ends in telescopic relation, and ilexible diaphragm means surrounding the outer periphery of said spring adapted to receive fluid under pressure for exerting force radially inward- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,808,348 Gatzsche June 2, 1931 1,841,613 Libby Jan. 19, 1932 2,170,240 Fitch' 1 Aug. 22, 1939 2,222,346 Eickstaedt Nov. 19, 1940 

